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E. T. GIBSONV POLIG TIRE, AND DISTRICTTELEGRAPH. No. 378,927. Patented Mar. -6, 1888.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. v

B. T. GIBSON.

POLICE, FIRE, AND DISTRIGT TELEGRAPH. No. 378,927. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. T. GIBSON.

POLICE, FIRE, AND DISTRICT TELEGRAPH. No. 378,927.

Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

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NiTiEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD 'I. GIBSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

POLICE, FIRE, AND DISTRICT TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,927, dated March 6. 1888.

Application filed March 18, 1887.

making their rounds, can automatically apprise.

the superintendent of the fact of their arrival and presence at certain points on their beats, thereby insuring an effective patrol service, and, second, to improve the construction of automatic telegraph mechanisms.

My automatic telegraph mechanism is provided with a circuit-breaker which is permanently secured to and forms a part of said mechanism for the purpose of giving the call or number of the box whenever the mechanism is operated, and is also provided with means whereby another circuit-breaker can be temporarily attached for the purpose of trans mitting its signal in addition to the box-numher and by one operation of the instrument, and readily detached from the instrument when the operation is finished.

The apparatus is principally designed to be used as one of a series of similar machines distributed among numerous stations, all of which communicate with a central office, and the independent circuit-breakers are adapted to be attached to any of them. At the central station I employ registers and magnets brought into action by the incoming current, and I combine with the line the said boxes, which are hereinafter described.

With apparatusof said construction a policeman can automatically transmit to the central station not only the number of the box being used, but also his own official number, and thereby report his whereabouts to his chief, and may also transmit other desired signals represented by the circuit-breakers in his possession.

When the apparatus is used for fire-alarm or district-telegraph purposes, the identity of the personmaking the call can be determined.

Serial No.231,352. -(No model) I attain my object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a general diagram illustrating the system. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the signal-boxes with the door of the shell or outer box open. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism of the signal-box. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the key-operating'mechanism with the circuit open. Fig. 6 is a similar view with the circuit closed. Fig. 7 isa view of one of theindividualcircuit-breakers. Fig. 8 is a view of the circuit-breaker used for general signaling. Figs. 9 and 10 are details showing position of rack and key. Fig. 11 is a back view of the rack.

In the diagram illustrating the system, 1 represents the call-box; 2, the main battery; 3, a call-bell at the central station; 4, akey; 5, a relay; 6, the line-wire; 7, the return-wire or ground. 8 is a register, and 10 alocal circuit.

In Fig. 2, U is a shell inclosing a box, V, which contains the mechanism. The door V is provided with a slot, V, in which the finger-hook F travels, and also is provided in front with an index of signals, S, any one of which may be sent, accompanied by the number of the box, by inserting a circuit-breaker, hereinafter described, into the space F and then inserting the plug H into the hole 0*, and thereafter pulling down the finger-hook F to its first position. When the signal is sent, the operator removes the circuit-breaker from the space F. If the operatordesires to make his identity known at the central office, he inserts into said space F a circuit-breaker constructed to send the number by which he is known, and then pulls down the finger-hook F to the bottom of the slot and lets go. The central office would receive his number accompanied by the number of the box pulled.

The plates A, A, B, and B and the rod 0 constitute the frame-work of the instrument, and are arranged to form a rectangular opening, D, extending through the frame-work from one end to the other, for a purpose hereinafter shown.

Mounted in bearings formed in the frame work is a shaft, E, at right angles to the aforesaid opening. Secured to said shaft is a gearwheel, E, which is caused to rotate in one direction during the act of winding the mechanism, and in the opposite direction by the stress of a weight or spring exerted through a train of suitable gearing. The teeth of said gear-wheel enter said longitudinal opening D through a slot, 13 in the plate B, and mesh with the extremity of a rack, F, which is adapted to move freely within said opening. seen that said rack F will be movedin one direction by the act of winding the mechanism and moved in the reverse direction by the stress of the weight or spring.

Secured to one side of that extremity ofthe rack F which is first engaged by the teeth of the gear-wheel E in the act of winding is a straight strip, G, with teeth or notches cut on its edge for the purpose of breaking an electric circuit, in the manner hereinafter shown, to send the call or number of the box. Secured to the other extremity of said rack F is a sleeve, F, which is fitted to have longitudinal freedom of motion along the rod 0. The red O is provided at its upper extremity with a stop, 0, which limits the movement of said sleeve F in that direction, and is also provided on one of its surfaces with a series of holes, 0 in which a plug, H, may be inserted for the purpose of limiting the movement ofsaid sleeve in the other direction. As has already been stated, said sleeve is secured to the extremity of the rack F; consequently any limitation that is made in the movement of the sleeve will cause a corresponding limitation in the movement of said rack, which fact is made use of for a purpose hereinafter set forth. Secured to the side of said rack F on aline with said circuitbreaker G or box-number signal is a lug, F, situated at some distance from said box-number signal for the purpose of creating a space or recess, F between them, and thereby afford the means whereby another circuit-breaker can be temporarily carried by said rack to transmit its signal in addition to that of the box-number and by one operation of the instrument.

The form of the circuit-breaker designed to be used in the aforesaid manner is shown in Figs. 7 and S. It consists of a straight strip, I, with teeth or notches cut on its edge and its extremities fashioned to conform to the extremities of the space F on the rack Fthat is to say, each independent circuit-breaker I is at one end V-shaped and at the other acuteangled. But be it understood I do not limit my claim of invention to a straight circuitbreaker with one extremity V-shaped and the other acute-angled, for the shaping of said extremities in this manner is merely my preferred construction for enabling said circuitbreaker to be easily connected to and removed from the rack F.

Having described the rack F and the circuit-breakers carried by it, and shown how said rack is caused to move within the longitudinal opening D, and having shown how said movement of the rack can be limited to desired Thus it will be provided with a platinum point, J", which distances, I will now proceed to describe the key J, Figs. 5 and 6, which is operated by said circuit-breakers to send pulsations over the telegraph-line.

Secured to the upper surface of the plate B is a frame, J, in which a lever, K, is pivoted. At one extremity of said frame a block of hard rubber,J or other suitable insulating material, is fastened, and supports a piece of metal, J,

touches the under surface of said lever K. At the other extremity of said frame is a spring, J, which operates against the arm K of the lever K and causes the arm K to maintain close contact with said platinum point J. The end of said aim K is formed nearly at right angles to its main part, and is provided with a pivot, L, on which works a lever-claw, M, one arm of which, M projects through a slot, B, in the plate B in the line of aforesaid circuitbreakers, and the other arm, M, is engaged by the free extremity of a light strip of spring metal, N, which is attached to the lever K. The wire P, attached to the piece of metal J, and the wire Q, attached to the lever K, are connected to the binding-posts P and Q, Fig. 3, which are in electrical connection with the telegraph-line. Thus it will be seen that when the arm K of the lever K is caused to break its contact with the platinum point Jabreak will be occasioned in the electric circuit.

Vhen the weight or spring that operates the herein-described signaling mechanism is unwound, the parts occupy the relative position shown in Figs. 2 and 9.

The operation of the device is as follows: The I parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2, the weight or spring is either wound up, in the usual manner, by a lever attached to theshaft to which the weight drum or spring is secured, or else is wound up as shown in the drawingsthat is to say, by placing the finger in the finger-hook F and forcing the rack F downward. In either case the rack willmove in the longitudinal opening D, and as the act of winding proceeds the extremity of the box number circuit-breaker G will come in contact with the arm M of the lever-claw M, and as said arm is pivoted to swing in that direction, (see Fig. 4,) it will not interfere with the movement of the rack in that direction, neither will it effect a breakage in the contact of the lever K with the platinum point J Vhen the operation of winding is carried to its limit, the parts occupy the position shown in Fig.10. Upon the weight or spring being released the rack begins its return to its former position, and in doing so it again brings an extremity of the circuit-breaker in contact with the arm M of the lever-claw M, and as said arm is not arranged to swing in this direction, the arm K of the lever K is compelled to break contact with the platinum point J, (see Fig. 5,) and as each of the spurs or notches in the circuit-breaker comes in contact with the leverelaw M a pulsation is occasioned over the line.

In the operation I have just described the IIO only signal transmitted over the line was the number of the box. We will suppose that the operator is a policeman and that he wishes to apprise the central station of his presence on his beat, or thatthe mechanism is connected to a fire-alarm line, and the fire department will attend to no calls unless the signature accompanies the call. In either case the individual takes from his pocket a circuit-breaking device, I, Fig. 7, constructed to send the number by which he isknown, and which I call a signature-piece, and adapted to be connected to any signal-box in the system, and inserts it into the space F, formed for the purpose on the side of the rack F. He then'pulls down the finger-hook and lets go; and when the parts have returned to their original position he removes his personal signal and goes on about his business. Said independent signal-pieces are easily removed, as the acute-angled extremity is readily caught by the finger nail.

In the operation just described the personal signal would be followed by the number of the box.

If the operator desired to send any one of the signals on the list S, he inserts into said space F a circuit breaker, Fig. 8, having notches or teeth out in its edge for this purpose, and then inserts the plug H into the hole 0 in the rod 0, opposite the signal he desires to send. He then pulls down the finger-hook and lets go. In this operation, when he iuserts the plug into the rod 0, he limits the distance that the rack shall move, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) and thereby only places a portion of the notches or teeth on said circuit-breaker in position to operate with the key J to send pulsations over the line. If the said circuit-breaker or multiple signal-piece is arranged to cause eight breaks in the circuit, as is the circuitbreaker shown in Fig. 8, it will occasion four breaks if said plug is inserted in hole 4 in rod 0, six breaks if inserted in hole 6, 8:0.

The number of breaks will determine the signal, and every signal will be accompanied by the box-number.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a signal mechanism, of a pivoted circuit-breaking lever, a rack provided with a circuit-breaking strip constructed to give the numberof the box, an independent removable circuit-breaking strip, and connecting means for securing said independent strip to said rack, whereby said strip may be connected to the rack and engaged by the circuit breaking lever to give its signal in connection with that of the box-number, and may be readily removed when the operation is finished, and a suitable clock-work engaging said rackbar and moving the same past said pivoted lever, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a signal mechanism of the class described, of the rack-bar F, the circuit-breaking strip G, secured to said rack.- bar, the separate circuit breaking strip I, adapted to be temporarily secured to said rackbar in line with said strip G, and a circuitbreaking lever arranged to be operated by said strips G and I, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a signal mechanism of the class described, of the rack-bar F, the circuit-breaking strip secured thereto, the removable circuit-breaking strip I, adapted to be temporarily secured to said rack-bar, the pivoted lever K, the pivoted claw M on said lever, the spring N, bearing on said claw, and the contact-point J, all substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a signal mechanism of the class described,with the sliding strip provided with circuit-breaking teeth or notches, of the pivoted lever K, the claw M, pivoted to said lever and arranged to bear on said strip, the spring N, secured to said lever and pressing upon said claw, the contact-point J and the spring J all substantially as described.

5. The combination, in asignal mechanism, with the frame composed of the four plates A A B B, with a rectangular opening between them, and a rod, 0, secured to said plates and provided with the series of openings 0, of the sliding rack-bar F, carrying a circuit-breaker and provided with a hook, F, and with a collar, F, embracing the rod 0, and the pin H,

adapted to engage either of the openings 0, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I my hand this 14th day of March, 1887.

. EDWARD T. GIBSON. In presence of B. H. SANFORD, A. M. GAsKELL. 

